Shin Sang-hun, Song Min-hyeok chase Genesis points leader
Wang Jeong-hun eyes back-to-back wins; Jang, Choi Chan aim for third title of season
The Amazing Cree Open, a newly established event on the KPGA Tour, tees off Thursday and runs through Sunday at Flamingo Country Club's Links and Park courses (par 70, 6,965 yards) in Dangjin, South Chungcheong Province. The tournament carries a purse of 700 million won ($515,000).
The event is the 15th tournament of the KPGA Tour season, with 120 players in the field. The winner will take home 140 million won along with a two-year KPGA Tour card and 1,000 Genesis points.
With the season entering its final stretch, the Genesis points race has become the tournament's central storyline. Jang Yu-bin leads with 4,412.70 points — holding the top spot for six consecutive events — but the gap to his pursuers has narrowed. Jang has won twice and finished runner-up twice in 14 starts this season, including back-to-back victories at the KPGA Classic and the Hana Bank Invitational.
Jang tied for 31st at the most recent Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance Choi Kyung-ju Invitational, while Shin Sang-hun climbed to second place with 3,885.44 points after finishing tied for eighth. The gap between the two stands at 527.26 points. Song Min-hyeok is third at 3,728.49 points and also in pursuit of the lead.
Choi Chan, a two-time winner this season, sits sixth with 3,493.04 points and is looking to bounce back. Both Jang and Choi will be chasing a third victory of the season at this event.
Defending champion Wang Jeong-hun will bid for back-to-back victories. Wang claimed his first KPGA Tour title at the Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance Choi Kyung-ju Invitational on Sunday, adding 1,000 Genesis points to jump from ninth to fifth place with 3,546.20 points.
Wang previously won back-to-back events on the European Tour in 2016, taking the Hassan II Trophy and the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open in consecutive weeks. "I want to draw on those good memories from 2016 and win two tournaments in a row," he said. "I have not played much at Flamingo CC, so I do not have detailed memories of the course, but I want to play aggressively."
Jeong Han-mil, a sponsored player of tournament title sponsor Amazing Cree, will also contend for the inaugural title. Jeong claimed his first KPGA Tour victory in June at the KPGA Gunsan CC Open, a decade after turning professional. He has made 12 cuts in 13 starts this season. Fellow Amazing Cree-sponsored players include Han Seung-su, a three-time KPGA Tour winner, Moon Gyeong-jun, a two-time winner, and Jang Dong-gyu, a one-time winner.
The race for Genesis Championship spots also continues. The Genesis Championship begins Oct. 22 at Woojeong Hills Country Club in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, and will feature the top 36 players in the Genesis points standings as of the conclusion of the preceding event, the Charity Classic. Players currently on the bubble — including Heo In-hoe in 35th place and Lee Jae-jin in 36th — will view this week's tournament as a crucial opportunity to secure their spots.
yjc@heraldcorp.com
